A man has been sentenced to federal prison after operating a multimillion-dollar scheme that preyed on factoring companies, utilizing stolen identities to extract more than $5 million in fraudulent funds, announced by U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Micky Lee Wagner, using various aliases including "Clifton Leigh Wagner Martin" and "Dr. Leigh," posed as the owner and CEO of a supposedly successful staffing company, Right Step Staffing, Inc., based in Atlanta. However, the company was merely a front for his fraudulent operations. Wagner deceived businesses into believing he provided temporary workers to prominent companies like Kroger Distribution and Duracell, but these claims were entirely false.
Operating under the guise of a legitimate business, Wagner enticed a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, factoring company into purchasing counterfeit accounts receivable from Right Step Staffing. This allowed him to secure over $6 million in fraudulent invoices, with over $5 million paid out. "Wagner took great measures to create the fraudulent billing scheme to use these companies like his personal ATM," FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley stated, condemning how Wagner's actions harmed not only the businesses involved but also the victims of his identity theft, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Wagner's ill-gotten wealth financed a life of luxury, including real estate, a café, and high-end vehicles. He also paid for plastic surgery and enjoyed a Royal Caribbean cruise before being captured by the FBI in Kansas City, Missouri, after evading arrest for nearly a year. Even after his indictment, Wagner continued his fraudulent activities, stealing an additional $750,000 from a Minnesota-based factoring company and attempting similar frauds with other companies.
On April 24, 2024, after pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, the 57-year-old was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to seven years and ten months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution amounting to $3,092,512.88, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia. This sentence reflects Wagner's criminal activities and the justice served.
